Daily Dose of the Word of God - Psalm 66: 1-5

Justin Paul-Lawrence

Transcript

JPL 0:07 

Welcome to Elmhurst CRC’s Daily Dose of the Word of God.  It’s Friday, January 2nd, but Sunday is coming. Happy New Year! I’m Justin Paul Lawrence. Today’s reading is from the Psalms, as we journey through the Bible this year with the spotlight on Jesus in all the scriptures.  Here is Psalm 66:1-5. 

JPL 0:24  

Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious. Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.” Come and see what God has done,     his awesome deeds for mankind!

JPL 0:54  

My sister says that January is her favorite month. She lives in the north so I'm not sure if I actually believe her. But for her, turning the page to a new year is a fresh start. A fresh calendar. A fresh way to see what's going to happen. She's even hosting a party this year, specifically to help people bring out the joy of January.  This joy in the potential of a fresh start is definitely something I could learn from. This fresh Joy is a little bit what the Psalm writer is getting at in our passage today. “Shout for Joy to God all the Earth. Sing the glory of his name. Make his praise glorious.” And then “Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!” This isn’t a personal song - the psalms are meant to be shared. Come and See! It can be quite fun to share Joy. As a kid it is the best when you take something to show your parents and they're genuinely happy at what you've shown them, even if it macaroni glued to construction paper. It's wonderful when you can take a friend out for your favorite pizza and they like it so much they start telling others about it and then pretty soon a third friend recommends it to you.  Or especially when you share with someone about your journey with Christ and they not only rejoice in God’s work in your life, but are deepening in faith in the same ways as well. A joyous circle. Joy, especially in Christ, is meant to be shared 

JPL  2:24  

As we make the turn to a new year, how’s your supply of Joy?  Can you share it with others? Or even better yet, share it with God. What are the awesome deeds that God has done in your life? Has he provided a new spiritual friend? A new deepening in prayer? A new ministry opportunity that you wouldn't have had before? The spirit is at work mightily at Elmhurst CRC in obvious ways, but especially in small ways in all of our lives deepening us and growing us into the people he wants us to be. Let's thank God for the joys that he gives us day after day. Take a moment now to stop and think and reflect on what joys God has brought me to your life in 2025. Praise him for them. Ask God to bring joy that turns to praise in 2026 and to help you remember to make his praise glorious, day after day.

JPL 3:14  

Lord, you are glorious. All the earth bows down to you. All the earth sings praises to your name. You are the source and fountain of Joy. To be in you is to be connected to the source of life. In this new year bring us this overflowing Joy that turns to praise, in good times and in bad. Fill us with your spirit that we might make your praise glorious day after day. For your Son’s sake, Amen.